Eyeglasses with edges for cosmetic effect



P 1939. A. J. ANDERSON ET AL 2, ,304

EYEGLASS WITH EDGE FOR COSMETIC EFFECT ori inal Filed Jan. 23, 1937AVt/vrweys Patented Sept. 26, 1939 lf A TENT OFFICE EYEGLASSES WITHEDGES FOB COSMETIC EFFECT Y Albert J. Anderson and James G.'Wescott,Minneapolis, Minn, assignors to N. P. Benson ptical Company, Inc.,-Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Delaware a Substitute for abandonedapplication Serial l lo. 122,025, January 22,1937. This applicationFebruary 2, 1938, Serial No. 188,348

4 Claims.

m Aside from the mountings for eye glasses and spectacles, the edges ofthe lenses usually constitute the most conspicuous parts.

A general object of ourinvention is to providelenses for eye glasses andspectacles wherein the edges are rendered much less visible than thepolished, ground or beveled edges conventionally known at this time.

The ordinary ground edge diffuses light in all directions so that it isplainly visible from all angles. The observer of a polished edge,whether beveled or unbeveled, receives intense light reflections incertain positions with respect to the light source, and consequentlysuch edges are very conspicuous.

It is an object of our invention to construct the edges of a lens sothat light reflection when observed at all takes the form of a broken orintermittent line instead of the solid line of the ordinary edgereflections, and provides a degree of camouflage which makes the lensedge much less noticeable to the observer.

A more specific object is to provide a lens having an edge shaped andcolored in portions to blend with the eyebrows of a wearer and shaped inother portions to diffuse light reflected therefrom so that the entireedge is rendered substantially invisible.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in .which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

5 Fig. 1 is a front view of a pair of eye glasses wherein a form of ourinvention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a top view; Fig. 3 is a side view; Fig. 4 is an enlargedscale, partial side view of 50 one of the lenses of Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the lens of Figs. 1, 2 and 3; and

Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a slightly different form of mylens.

55 Referring to the drawing, our eye glass lenses 1 are shown in Figs. 1to 3, inclusive, as associated in the usual manner with a nose piece 8and ear engaging pieces 9 of conventional construction. The lenses I, asshown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, are also shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The curvatureof the upper edge is made to match the curvature of a wearer's eyebrowline, whereby the upper edge portion la of the lens I will be disposedin front of the wearer's eyebrow throughout substantially the entirelength of the upper edge portion la. In accordance with our invention,the upper edge portion la is darkened to match a wearers eyebrow bysuitable means, such as applying a suit- .ably colored lacquer orenamel. We have found it preferable to also bevel the forward uppercorner of the upper edge portion la of the lens 1. Suitably coloredmaterial, such as lacquer or enamel, is applied to the beveled portionlb to darken the same, as shown in Fig. 4.

With the upper edge portion of the lens 1 curved to match the curvatureof the eyebrow of the wearer and colored to match the coloring of thewearers eyebrow,'the upper portion la will merge with-the wearer'seyebrow and become in effect invisible.

Our lens 1 is also arranged in such manner that the side and lower edgeportions 1c and ld are rendered relatively inconspicuous. We accomplishthis result by so forming the edges 1c and Id that the same will diffuselight reflected therefrom, as, for example, by roughening the edges 1cand 1d so that light reflected therefrom will be broken up into raysreflected in a multitude of directions. We have found it very effectiveto form the edges 1c and Id into a series of small surfaces 1e, facingin various directions, that is at various angles with respect to theplane in which the lens I is disposed. The surfaces le function in themanner f facets and break up light reflected from the edges 1c and 1dinto relatively small beams of light extending at various angles.

From the above it should be apparent that the darkened upperedge portion1a of the lens I will optically merge with the .wearers eyebrow and thatthe remaining edge portions 1c and Id are blurred or obscured by lightdiffusion whereby the lens edge portions la, lb and 1c cooperate torender the entire peripheral edge of the lens inconspicuous to a degreeclosely approaching invisibility.

Beveling of the forward upper corner of the upper edge portion is of thelens I, as described, provides a thin upper edge and brings the darkseedortion of the upper edge close to the rear side of the lens.

The upper edge Id of our lens may, if desired, be made with greater orless arch than the wearer's eyebrows so as to increase or decrease theapparent degree of arch of flatly arched or excessiveLy arched eyebrows.It is.apparent that the optical illusion created in this manner is ofvalue in producing a desirable cosmetic effect.

Fig. 6 shows a lens ll of somewhat different form, whereof the entireperipheral edge is provided with variously facing surfaces Ilafunctioninginthesamemannerasthesurfacesor facets is, shown in Figs. 4and 5.

Referring to the form of our lens shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, it isseen that the peripheral edge of the lens is divided into one portionwhich is beveled and darkened and another portion which is forming intosurfaces or facets Is. It is to be noted that the proportionate parts ofthe entire periphery of the lens I may be divided between the beveledand darkened construction and the facet construction in any desiredratio.

we have constructed eye glass and spectacle lenses in accordance withthe above described construction and have found that the same are veryinconspicuous when worn and for all intents and purposes are nearlyinvisible in effect.

It is apparent that we have invented a novel, practical, effective andinexpensive type of eye glass lens construction which renders the lensespractically invisible.

In the claims hereinafter appended, the term eye glass lens or itsequivalent, is to be construed to apply to all types of eye glass andspectacle lenses.

It will, of course, be understood that various changm may be made in theform, details, proportions and arrangements of the various parts withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An eye glass lens having the front surface of its edge portion andits circumferential edge provided with a series of very small contiguousfacets variously angled with respect to the general plane of the lensand having the rear surface of its edge portion, and its circumferentialprovided with a second series of very small contiguous facets angledoppositely with respect to the general plane of the lens, whereby lightreflected by said several facet surfaces is diffused to render the edgeportions relatively inconspicuous to an observer.

2. An eye glass lens having an upper edge curved to substantiallycorrespond in shape to the curvature of the eyebrow line of a wearer andcolored to substantially match the color of said eyebrow, said lenshaving front and rear faces and a surrounding edge portion, the sidesand bottom of said portion being provided with a multiplicity ofelongated contiguous surfaces, said surfaces extending into said edgeand the front face of said lens and being of relatively very small areaand disposed at various angles to the general plane of said lens,whereby light reflected by said surfaces is diffused and said edgeportion rendered relatively inconspicuous to an observer.

3. An eyeglass lens having front and rear faces and a surrounding edgeportion, said edge portion being provided with a multiplicity ofelongated contiguous surfaces, said surfaces extending into said edgeand the front face of said lens and being of relatively very small areaand disposed at various angles to the general plane of said lens,whereby light reflected by said surfaces is difused and said edgeportion rendered relatively inconspicuous to an observer.

4. An egeglass lens having front and rear faces and a surrounding edge,said edge portion being provided with a series of contiguous surfacesextending into said edge and also the front face of said lens, and beingof relatively very small area and disposed at various angles to thegeneral plane of said lens, said edge being further provided with a,similar series of very small surfaces extending into said edge and alsointo the rear face of said lens, and staggered in relation to said firstmentioned series and angled oppositely relative to said first mentionedseries with respect to the general plane of the lens, whereby light raysreflected by said several surfaces are greatly diffused and said edgeportion rendered relatively inconspicuous to an observer.

ALBERT J. ANDERSON. JAMES G. WESCO'I'I'.

